3:32 a.m. - 2008-08-26
My Racing Heart
While visiting my parents recently, I became aware of the regress of a problem I had previously known about and ignored. My resting heart rate has been around 100 for at least the last 5 years. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but not by much. The technical term is tachycardia and it can lead to some pretty serious conditions, up to and including death. Informing my doctor about this when I discovered it he ordered an EKG as I was already in the hospital on an unrelated matter. Everything checked out OK and I was told not to worry. After all I was pretty out of shape and with some moderate exercise it should come down.
Cut to 5 years later and I'm at my parent's house for the weekend. Now, like any elderly people worth (and watching) their salt, they have an electronic blood pressure cuff that also measures heart rate. Since I've been exercising and eating better (mostly) for the last 3 months, I thought I'd give it a try. I was stunned. My heart rate was 115! And I'd been doing nothing but sitting on the couch for a few hours. Over the next couple of days I grew more concerned since it never seemed to drop much below 105 no matter what I did. Which in turn probably didn't help much. I suppose it could be either of the medications I'm on, my rather poor diet, excess salt intake or just a genetic bad hand I've been dealt. I know one thing, I'm definitely calling my doctor when I get home and this time I'm not taking "You'll be fine." for an answer.
